Washington, DC—Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Fred Thompson (R-TN) today strongly reacted to testimony that Iran now has the missile capability to reach the United States as a result of the proliferation activities of North Korea, China, and Russia.
National security expert Dr. Stephen Cambone today testified before the Senate Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on International Security and Proliferation, and said that, due to proliferation activity by North Korea, China, and Russia, “In my judgment, Iran now has the capability with readily available foreign assistance to develop and to deploy, with little testing, ballistic missiles with sufficient range to reach the United States.”
Dr. Cambone went on to say, “The result of proliferation activity involving Iran is worth underscoring. In roughly a decade-from the time it became involved in North Korea?s No Dong program-Iran has arrived at the threshold of ICBM capability.”
“This is bad news for our national security and another frightening example of how the Administration?s policies to stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction aren?t working,” Thompson said. “How many experts have to tell us that our safety, and that of our children, is in serious jeopardy before we?re willing to take the steps necessary to hold these nations accountable for their dismal record on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction?”
Thompson said the testimony highlights the need to aggressively pursue a missile defense system and his legislation to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missile technologies by key supplier countries including the People?s Republic of China, Russia, and North Korea was offered as an amendment to the bill granting China Permanent Normal Trade Relations after repeated attempts to get a separate vote on it were blocked. The Administration vigorously opposed the bill and the Senate tabled the legislation last week by a vote of 65-32.
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